Just (More Than) Friends
by Areyl
Summary: As the old saying goes, "You make me nostalgic for a love that hasn't even happened yet." From the beginning they had a connection. What if that connection turned out to be something beyond friendship? This story is a collection of moments throughout Kate and Leo's relationship. Inspired by actual events. Not actually a Titanic fanfic (sorry!).
1. Chapter 1: Just a Bet

**Disclaimer:** I do not own any rights to _Titanic, Kate Winslet_ or _Leonardo DiCaprio_ (except in my dreams).

 _Hello and welcome to my very first Kate and Leo fanfic! The Kleo Titanic Reunion this past awards season brought out a crazy amount of feels. And so here we are._

 _Just a quick word about the story. A lot of it is inspired by actual events with my own special twist and improvised details. Maybe you hardcore Kleo fans can tease it apart ;-)._

 _Happy reading!_

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 **Chapter 1: Just a Bet**

Walking down the Red Carpet can often be an assault to the senses, especially for those new to the Hollywood scene. Kate experiences this firsthand when she and Leo arrive for the Golden Globe Awards. They find themselves amid an overwhelming flurry of camera flashes and screaming fans chanting their names. The whole place is electrified with enthusiasm and anticipation. Tonight is particularly special for the young actors as it comes at the heels of their megahit movie _Titanic_. Neither Kate nor Leo expected the movie to garner popularity as quickly and as fervently as it did. These days it seemed as if the whole world's eyes were on them.

Kate feels Leo tug on her hand as he guides her over to a pair of news correspondents, a tall man in a tux and a woman in a long satin gown. The news correspondents greet Kate and Leo with eager smiles and then sandwich the young actors between them. After an exchange of pleasantries and compliments, they open the interview with an unexpected question.

"Well now you didn't come as a couple tonight, did you?" the male correspondent asks.

Kate purses her lips at the laughable question and is about to respond when Leo jumps in.

In smooth DiCaprio fashion, he squarely replies, "Yeah, we came together."

"Did you really?"

"Absolutely," says Kate, following Leo's lead.

"Cool, great," says the male correspondent as he scrutinizes the two actors. "Is there something we ought to know?"

Without batting an eye, Leo shakes his head and explains, "No, absolutely not. We're good buddies."

He turns to Kate as he says this, his eyes gleaming with amusement. Kate smiles back at him, though she knows that he's blatantly gloating in her face. _Men and women should be able to hang out as friends without the world expecting them to be something more,_ she had tenaciously insisted on the car ride over. Now she wishes she had never made that misguided bet with Leo.

"Absolutely," Kate adds, albeit begrudgingly. "Just friends."

The news correspondents seem unsatisfied with this answer though they decide to drop the matter and switch topics. They begin to fire off questions about the recent success of _Titanic._ The questions are fairly familiar, many of them similar to questions Kate and Leo have answered on their promotional tour. After the interview, Leo places his hand on Kate's back and leans in close.

"I believe you owe me ten bucks," he says as Kate rolls her eyes.

"Fine, you win," Kate concedes. "Happy now?"

Leo simply extends his arm out and glances pointedly at Kate. She hesitates for a moment before finally linking her arm with his. _To hell with the rumors,_ Kate thinks as they continue through the sea of flashing lights and exuberant fans. She knows that tomorrow will bring a media frenzy of gossip and concocted stories about her evening with Leonardo DiCaprio but she doesn't care. All that mattered to her was enjoying the night out with her _best friend_. As far as she's concerned, no amount of speculation in the world is going to change that fact.

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 _Please don't forget to review! Feedback is always appreciated._


	2. Chapter 2: Just Flowers

**Disclaimer:** I do not own any rights to _Titanic, Kate Winslet_ or _Leonardo DiCaprio_ (except in my dreams).

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 **Chapter 2: Just Flowers**

Kate is delightfully intrigued when she comes home from a charity event in Beverly Hills. Sitting atop her dining room table is a large bouquet of flowers bursting from an intricate white vase. She takes a moment to marvel at the vibrant array of colors and relish the sweet floral scent.

"Maggie?" she calls out. "Do you know who these flowers are from?"

Kate's personal assistant Maggie briskly enters the room and halts upon seeing the floral arrangement on the table.

"No, I can't say I do," Maggie replies, her brow wrinkling in confusion. "But damn, whoever it is sure knows how to spoil a girl."

Kate's lips curl into a lopsided grin at Maggie's statement as she closely scrutinizes the bouquet.

"Maybe it's from one of your adoring fans," muses Maggie. "Your birthday is tomorrow after all."

"Maybe," Kate absentmindedly says though she doubts this explanation.

After a while, Maggie leaves the room and Kate is left to wonder about who her mystery sender is. Though she had been receiving birthday cards and gifts in the mail all week, there is something different about this particular gift. For starters, the bouquet is comprised of all her favorite flowers: roses, lilies, and alstromeria. It seemed too personal to have come from any casual acquaintance much less a fan.

And that's when she sees it. Underneath the blossoming cluster of flowers is a silk ribbon hanging loosely around the neck of the vase. Kate spins the ribbon around and discovers a notecard attached to it. With nimble fingers, she unties the ribbon and opens the card. Almost immediately she recognizes the handwriting before even reading the message inside.

 _I just remembered it was your birthday and wanted to say I miss you. Call me sometime. Leo._

Kate feels her eyes well up with tears. Though Leo was the last person she was expecting, he was the one person she was surprisingly most happy to hear from all week. Too much time has passed between them. She can't even remember the last time she talked to him. Without wasting another minute, Kate hastily pulls out her phone from her purse and dials the number scribbled on the card. Three rings in and she starts to feel impatient.

By the fourth ring, a voice comes through on the other line and says, "Hello?"

"Leo?" Kate says eagerly.

"Kate?" Leo says in a groggy voice. "Am I dreaming?"

She glances at her watch and instantly realizes her mistake.

"Oh my god, did I wake you? Where are you right now?"

"In New York working on a new project."

"I'm so sorry. I should've looked at the time before calling."

"No, it's okay," he reassures. "I was wondering when I would hear from you."

A warm smile spreads over her lips as she reads over the notecard once more.

"The flowers are beautiful, Leo. Thank you."

She can almost sense him grinning on the other line.

"Do you know how long it took my assistant to track you down?"

Kate laughs at this though she finds it shameful to think that she had lost touch with such a close friend.

"It's been too long, Kate," Leo voices as if reading her mind.

"Yes, it has been too long," she agrees. "But I promise you it won't happen again."

"Good," Leo says. "I promise you the same."

"You should rest now. We can talk later now that we have each other's numbers and all."

She hears Leo chuckle on the other line. Though a part of her doesn't want the conversation to end just yet, she knows the timing is poor.

"Alright Kate, I'll hold you to it."

"Sweet dreams darling."

"Goodnight Kate."

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 _Please review! Thanks a million!_


	3. Chapter 3: Just a Kiss

**Disclaimer:** I do not own any rights to _Titanic, Kate Winslet_ or _Leonardo DiCaprio_ (except in my dreams).

 _Another day, another chapter. Enjoy!_

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 **Chapter 3: Just a Kiss**

Over the next few months, Kate and Leo make a habit of keeping in touch with each other in spite of the distance and their hectic work schedules. Eventually they both reunite in London one weekend; Kate was visiting friends and Leo was attending to some business matters. After having dinner at a small bistro outside of town, she invites Leo back to her flat to catch up.

She pours him another glass of wine as they sit in her living room and reminisce about their _Titanic_ days and about the years that followed. They even touch briefly on the ever-sensitive topic of her divorce with her ex-husband Jim. Though over a year has passed, Kate can still feel a heaviness in her heart whenever she talks about her failed marriage. All the while, Leo listens attentively and even reaches across the sofa to hold her hand in empathy. After a period of silence, Leo begins recounting a recent experience he had with a crazy fan. The story sends Kate into a fit of laughter and her somber mood is immediately uplifted. Just then, one of Kate's favorite jazz classics begins to play on the stereo.

"Oh I absolutely love this one," she gushes as she takes another sip of her wine.

She closes her eyes and starts crooning along with soulful tune that fills the room. When she opens her eyes again, Kate sees Leo standing over her with his arm outstretched.

He smirks playfully. "Would you care to dance?"

Kate eyes him skeptically for a moment before setting her glass on the table and allowing Leo to pull her into his arms. He places one hand on her hip and stretches out the hand that's still gently locked onto hers. She mirrors his frame and together they sway and twirl to the music. Every move he makes is attached to her. Kate's airy laughter mingles with the melody, leaving her flushed and breathless. They remain holding each other and sway slowly in place when the song ends and transitions to the next.

"I don't recall you learning those moves when we were filming _Titanic_ ," Kate teases.

Leo lightly chuckles. "I may have picked up a new move or two since then."

"I'm surprised you haven't swept a girl off her feet yet."

"How do you know I haven't?" he counters with an impish gleam in his eyes.

Kate smiles wryly at him and rolls her eyes, keenly aware of his romantic flings with leggy, blonde models.

"You know," she muses as a thought occurs to her. "If the media had their way, we would have been in a grand love affair by now."

"It's insane, some of these rumors that fly around," Leo scoffs.

Kate is thoughtfully quiet for a moment before asking, "Have you ever thought about it?"

Their swaying motion gradually slows to a stop as she watches Leo take in a deep breath and considers her question.

"Yes," he finally admits. "It's crossed my mind a couple times before."

Tense anticipation penetrates the air around them. Kate doesn't dare stir as if the slightest movement would ruin her illusion of composure.

"What about you?" Leo poses with some hesitation.

"Yes, I've thought about it," Kate says cautiously. "But…"

Her voice trails, unsure if what she intends to say is an actual reflection of how she feels. This is a new unexplored territory for them.

"I think we'd have a hard of a time trying to take each other seriously, don't you?"

They look at each other for a moment and then, like popping a balloon, they suddenly start chuckling at the notion of a romantic affair.

"I'm glad we're such good friends, Leo."

"Me too, Kate," Leo agrees, pulling her into an embrace.

They kiss each other then, chaste and close-mouthed on the lips. It's a kiss they've shared many times before; a kiss that has never meant to denote anything beyond friendship. But when they part, a peculiar feeling lingers between them. She clings to his shoulders for a second too long and his eyes follow hers before dropping to rest on her lips. That pensive anticipation returns like an unwelcomed guest and more palpable than before. Kate wonders if Leo can feel her heart beating out of her chest as their faces draw near. In the blink of an eye the gap between them disappears.

She encircles her arms around Leo's neck as he kisses her thoroughly and deeply, the heat from his hands and body enveloping her like a warm blanket. It's the first intimate kiss they've shared without being surrounded by cameras or a room full of people. For once, they don't have to think about how to position their bodies to capture the best angle. Kate feels something stir from deep within her, spreading out from her chest to the very tips of her being. And just like that the moment passes. Leo pulls away, leaving her breathless and dizzy from his touch.

"I'm sorry," he says, running his hand through his hair. "I shouldn't have done that."

She remains silent, unsure of what to say or how to feel. Her mind is brimming wildly with thoughts that slip away from her faster than she can grasp them. The music seems muted now as if it was being drowned out by all the words they didn't know how to express. Though he tries to hide it, Kate can detect the conflicting emotions in Leo's eyes.

"Kate," he begins in a measured voice. "I know without a doubt that I can always be the friend that you need but…"

There is something about the way Leo hesitates that makes her stomach twist into knots. His usually calm and collected composure is replaced instead by a look of disquieted apprehension.

"But right now I just can't promise that I can be the man you deserve."

Kate has somehow always had an intuition about this. For better or for worse, Leo's career, his art, takes precedence in his life. He would sooner commit himself completely and tirelessly to a role than commit himself to another person. He was undoubtedly a phenomenal actor but his craft came with a price. In the back of her mind, Kate has always known what that price was.

She would be remiss to ask him to be anything less than who he was; and so with a forced smile she steps toward him and gently cups his face in her hands.

"It's alright, I understand."

Leo frowns at this, unconvinced. "I don't want to lose you, Kate."

"Then you _won't_ ," she insists. "That I can promise you."

Later that night, Kate ignores the way her lips tingle when Leo crosses her mind, and she ignores how the scent of his cologne lingers on her even long after he's left.

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 _I'd love to hear your thoughts! Please review!_


	4. Chapter 4: Just Acting

**Chapter 4: Just Acting**

 **Disclaimer:** I do not own any rights to _Titanic, Kate Winslet_ or _Leonardo DiCaprio_ (except in my dreams).

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As promised, Kate and Leo remain close over the years. Whatever feelings had begun to surface that night in London becomes a thing of the past. Kate had learned quickly not to dwell on something that ended before it could even begin. Then comes a unique opportunity: the chance for her and Leo to reunite as co-stars on a new cinematic project, _Revolutionary Road._ They jump on this venture with zeal and enthusiasm. They even manage to convince Kate's second husband, Sam, to direct the movie.

 _Muscle memory_ as Leo calls it. The years that have passed since Titanic does little to change their onscreen chemistry. Throughout filming, Kate is pleasantly surprised to see that their dynamic authenticity is still intact. The only hitch that occurs is when their characters have a passionate sex scene. Kate can't imagine a more awkward situation than pretending to make love to your closest friend in front of a whole camera crew and your director husband. Leo, on the other hand, doesn't appear to be ruffled at all by the situation.

"You gotta get out of your own head, babe," Leo says to her after another futile take.

"I know, I know," Kate insists with a slight edge to her voice. "It's just weird to have my husband directing us on our lovemaking. I mean…it doesn't bother you?"

Leo glances at her stoically and shrugs. "This isn't exactly our first rodeo, Kate."

Kate frowns at his detached professionalism. She suddenly feels like a trapped animal within cramped kitchen backdrop. She slides off the counter and heaves a heavy exasperated sigh.

"Guys," Sam says as he approaches the two actors. "What's going on? That was our second take in the last two hours. Do we need to regroup and try this scene again tomorrow?"

"No, no," Kate says imploringly. "I'm just overthinking it. I'll get it right this time."

Sam regards her searchingly as if trying to read her mind. At the end of the day they went home as husband and wife, but on set they maintained a strict professional relationship. These lines have always been very clear from the get-go. But in Sam's eyes, Kate can see her own uncertainty reflected back. This particular scene was blurring those lines.

"Kate, sweetheart, it's alright," Sam says reassuringly. "You can do this. Do whatever you need to do to reach that emotional truth. Both of you."

After taking in a deep breath to calm her nerves, she nods and resolutely says, "Okay, I'm ready. Let's do it."

As soon as the cameras start rolling, Kate casts out any reservations from her mind. For the first time and with some reluctance, she allows herself to relive that night in London, to remember the warmth that spread through her body when Leo kissed her. She nearly forgets that they're on a film set when she feels Leo's hands exploring her body through her dress. Before she knows it, the scene is over and Kate is left winded and muddled from a bittersweet mix of emotions.

Later when filming wraps up for the day, Kate walks with Leo back to their trailers. Before she could ascend the steps to her door, Leo gently grabs her arm to stop her.

"Hey Kate, listen," he says without pretense. "I want to apologize for earlier."

"Apologize?" Kate's brow wrinkles in confusion. "For what?"

"For being an insensitive ass," he says with a sheepish grin. "I really wasn't considering your feelings when we were doing that kitchen scene."

"You were just doing your job, Leo. I understand."

"No, it was selfish of me to think that scene should've been easy for you," Leo insists.

Kate smiles understandingly, appreciating his sentiment.

"Thank you, darling. Either way, you and Sam were right. I just needed to push past the awkwardness."

"Well whatever you did to push past it, it worked. You were incredible."

Kate feels the blood rush to her cheeks at Leo's words and penetrating gaze. She slightly ducks her head to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear, hoping he wouldn't notice her blush.

"Anyway I'll see you tomorrow," Leo says as he leans in and plants a sweet kiss on her forehead.

"Goodbye, Leo," Kate replies as she watches him disappear into his trailer.

When she turns away, she sees her husband Sam in the distance speaking with one of the producers. He spots her and waves to let her know he would be another minute. Though Kate smiles and waves back, she can feel a deep sense of guilt brewing in the pit of her stomach. As he approaches her, Kate reaches for him and kisses him hard on the lips.

"What was that for?" Sam asks breathlessly.

"Nothing," she says, forcing a smile. "I love you, that's all."

"I love you too," he says as he drapes his arm across her shoulders.

Kate leans into his embrace as they make their way into her trailer to retrieve her belongings. On the entire ride back to the hotel, she holds Sam's hand and pushes away any confounded thoughts about Leo from her mind.

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 _If you do search for interviews they've done for_ Revolutionary Road _you'll find couple of interviews where they talk about how awkward it was to film that kitchen scene. Makes for interesting story material ;-)._

 _Please take a moment to review! Thanks!_


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